


Weasley Manor

by fanwit



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Dumbledore Bashing, Gen, Molly Weasley Bashing, alice longbottom appears like two times, beware this is a really confusing story haha, fabian prewett (mentioned), frank longbottom appears too, gideon prewett (mentioned), honestly i have no idea, i have no answers btw, oh shoot i forgot to tag this as an au, practically all the characters up there appears like really once
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-08 05:03:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11639481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanwit/pseuds/fanwit
Summary: Arthur is very confused and just keeps thinking. (AKA the story where all the questions that you ask are not answered)





	Weasley Manor

It was approximately ten AM. Arthur knows this because he looked at his watch. Harry barges in, shouting about Death Eaters.

It is ten-thirty when Arthur finds himself in the Weasley Manor with no memory of how he got there. He can't find any of his family and he's slightly concerned. He catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror in the hall and decides to avoid any mirror from that point on. It is not a pleasant sight, seeing yourself covered in blood.

Arthur checks his watch and finds it still pointing to the thirty minute mark. He wonders if anyone survived the raid and hopes they did. He remembers Harry yelling, but after that it is a blank. He doesn't think much can happen in thirty minutes but then he remembers Gideon and Fabian had been gone for five minutes before dying. 

It had been nearly midnight and Arthur was worried about possible raids. Gideon had volunteered to go and check the area for Death Eaters and Dumbledore approved this plan. Fabian went along, naturally, and it was only when it turned one that anyone became worried about the twins. Arthur had been worried from the beginning but nobody really listens to a friend of Mad-Eye Moody. 

Arthur searches the manor once again, half hoping he had missed his family hidden off in a corner. He doesn't find anyone and he's not surprised. He isn't sure why he is here but he is sure Dumbledore will find him eventually. After all, Dumbledore is a smart man and knows leaving Arthur to die would turn half the Order against him. 

They had found Fabian tied up, dangling from a tree. Alice had proclaimed him dead for an hour. Arthur wasn't surprised, saying he had probably been killed five minutes after leaving. He had received several angry glares and still isn't sure why. The sight of Gideon was far worse and had Frank nearly throwing up onto Arthur. Arthur was too busy trying to figure out how to break the news to Molly. 

Arthur finds his old room and peeks inside. It is covered in dust. Arthur steps in, blowing dust everywhere. With a sneeze, the dust scatters even more. Arthur opens the window and sits down on his old bed. He wonders where his father is. He doesn't think his father is hiding from him. They might hate each other but it doesn't mean they will abandon the other when they are in need. 

Molly had not taken the news well and hid in the living room wailing about Fabian being dead. Arthur knew Molly had _strongly disliked_ Gideon but he had thought Molly would have felt bad about him being dead. Arthur told Percy that Molly was heart-broken and to leave her alone for the night. Percy nodded solemnly and went to put Ron to bed. Arthur likes that about him, that Percy is always willing to help and knows what needs to be done. Charlie tried to go after Molly but Bill stopped him. They went off to bed and Arthur put up a silencing charm. Percy and Arthur just sat there for the rest of the night, waiting for Molly to stop crying. 

Arthur isn't sure exactly why he's thinking about Percy now but he knows he still needs to apologize to Percy. Arthur picks up his old Gryffindor banner off from the floor and tries to stick it to the wall. It just flutters down pathetically. Arthur sighs and moves from the bed. He examines his old books and picks one off the shelf. It is his old Potions textbook. Arthur doesn't remember Potions at all but remembers hating Slughorn with passion. 

He also remembers giving the Potions textbook to Gideon and telling him to keep it forever. Gideon did but Arthur doesn't know why it is back on his shelf. It should be in Gideon's vault or in the twins' house. Arthur opens the book to the first page and sees a note from himself. _Abandon all hope_ , it reads, and Arthur closes the book. He needs something a bit more cheerful to take his mind off his family. _Maybe I'll take a shower_ , he thinks absentmindedly before sitting back down on his bed. 

Molly and Arthur had gotten into another argument. Arthur felt that Molly should have a funeral for Gideon too, not just Fabian. He argued that Fabian would not have wanted to be separated from his brother. Molly yelled that they had died separately so it didn't make a difference. Arthur lost the argument to nobody's surprise. He knows Molly hated Gideon but there is a saying about speaking ill of the dead.

Arthur finds his old OWL results under his pillow. He isn't sure why he would have put the OWLs under there because the NEWTs should be there instead. He sees he has As in nearly all his subjects and has a D in Potions. He remembers retaking the OWLs under a fake name and getting all Os. He also remembers doing the same thing for his NEWTs. Arthur realizes he doesn't really remember his kids' results. He's not heartbroken over this, knowing it doesn't really matter. Percy had gotten a good job working for the Minister while Fred and George had started a joke shop. The twins had dreadful grades while Percy had the best. Arthur vaguely remembers Charlie coming home with bad grades. Molly had shouted for an hour.

The funeral is boring and Arthur tried to leave early. Moody had caught him and ranted about how Fabian would have wanted his best friend to be there at the funeral. Arthur doesn't yell back about how Fabian would have wanted his best friend to be right next to him. Moody would have taken that the wrong way. Arthur knew Gideon was Fabian's best friend. He doesn't understand why everyone keeps going to him to offer condolences instead of Molly. 

Arthur leaves his bedroom and checks his watch. It is ten-forty and Arthur decides to search the manor once again. Checking his bedroom again, he goes to the bathroom next. He catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror and blinks in surprise. He doesn't remember being covered in blood. He decides to take a shower.

Arthur went to the casket that held Fabian and apologized to him about not having Gideon's funeral at the same time. He explained Molly was insisting they not have a funeral for Gideon and just bury Fabian and leave Gideon to rot. Moody snorted at that one and told Arthur not to exaggerate. Arthur knew he wasn't exaggerating but just nodded in agreement. 

After finally drying himself off with a towel from his father's room, Arthur continues the search. He checks the dining room, and sees there isn't a table, and then checks the barking room. There is no barking and Arthur resists the urge to look inside. He had fallen for that one a long time ago and paid the price dearly. He moves on, checking his bedroom again. The manor isn't very big and the Weasleys only call it a manor jokingly. There are five rooms- the bathroom, Arthur's bedroom, the barking room, the dining room and his father's room. Arthur doesn't remember where his brothers slept. He wonders if there is another wing he forgot about. Then he remembers half the manor burnt down and his best friend at the time ran inside to save Arthur's mother. They both died along with his father's dreams.

Molly locked Arthur up in his bedroom when they got home from the funeral. Ron cried and Arthur distracted himself with cleaning up the room. Percy knocked on the door after an hour and asked if Arthur was coming out. Arthur explained he was locked in and Percy went to get Bill. Arthur snuck out with Percy and they both stayed in the shed for the night. Arthur reminded Percy to try his best to stay on his mother's good side. 

Arthur stays up in his bedroom and ignores the dust. He is even more worried about his family now. He doesn't want to lose anyone. He even wants the bad moments back just so he could have his family again. He swears to stay up with Harry next time he eats too much and throws up in the toilet, to comfort Ginny next time she wakes up screaming about Tom Riddle, to strengthen the wards with Bill, play chess with Ron, track down mysterious creatures with Charlie and read a book to Percy. Arthur wonders if he could bargain with Voldemort himself, convince Voldemort to leave the Weasleys alone and just kill everyone else. Arthur knows none of them would be able to stay on the sidelines but it's still worth a try.

Dumbledore scolded Arthur for getting into another fight with Sirius but Arthur isn't sorry. He would punch Sirius if he ever implied Gideon had gotten Fabian killed again. Arthur decided Sirius didn't need a punch. He needed to be killed so he wouldn't make the same mistake again. Dumbledore took Arthur back to the meeting and told them that Arthur would behave this time. Arthur just scowled and sat down. Lily looked at him concernedly but James shook his head, telling Lily not to try. 

Arthur had been unreasonable since Fabian and Gideon died and the Order were seriously considering kicking him out of the Order unofficially. Arthur had never officially been a part of the Order and everyone but Moody assumed Arthur wasn't important to the Order. Dumbledore announced a prophecy that involved Frank, Alice, Lily, and James and asked them to stay after the meeting. Arthur went off to get a glass of water and never came back. Nobody was concerned. Dumbledore proceeded to tell the prophecy and Arthur listened from behind the wall. 

Arthur knows he should have told Harry the prophecy the minute he saw him but he didn't. Most of the prophecy had slowly faded from his memory after all. Prophecies are too vague and too confusing for Arthur to even try to remember. It was pointless for Arthur to try to tell Harry the little he remembered. He lies back on his bed and stares up at the ceiling. He remembers hours passed just staring up at the ceiling. He remembers creating some of the most vivid fantasies he had off the ceiling.

He also vaguely remembers a curse being put onto the Weasley Manor. But he isn't sure if that was one of his daydreams or something that really happened. He does remember going in the barking room and waking up in St. Mungo's. He remembers Bilius yelling at him about common sense and not to go throwing himself to the dogs. He also remembers his mother crying softly and telling him to think before even doing anything. His father tells him to be smarter next time and not to be so stupid. Arthur tells him that he can't help being stupid and Bilius lets out a strangled laugh. At least, Arthur thinks it was a laugh.

The first time Harry went to the Burrow, it had gone well. Molly didn't yell at Arthur much, Fred and George didn't nearly kill Percy, and Ron had been so proud of his family. Harry didn't even seem to mind that Arthur kept asking him questions about muggles. Ron told Arthur that it was just because Arthur was only around in the mornings. If Arthur followed Harry all day then Harry would definitely be annoyed. Arthur didn't really understand that concept but just nodded in agreement and went off to help Molly with dinner. Harry didn't mind having dinner an hour later and didn't mind Arthur taking him out to the shed to escape the smoke. Harry asked Arthur why Molly had been so upset when Arthur tried to help. Arthur explained it was because he messed everything up. Harry told him about Seamus and they both laughed after Arthur told Harry about the time he blew up the Potions classroom.

Arthur is convinced he is slowly going mad. The Weasley Manor was never remembered for its entertaining toys and books. Mostly because it didn't have any fun things. It was so bad Arthur even got excited when they went to visit his grandmother who only had rocks in her house. They never got to go back after their third brother broke a rock. Arthur isn't sure how you break a rock but it is possible. His father had said he hated her anyway and his mother just cried softly and told everyone to think before even touching anything. His father just laughed and said the general rule is to think. Arthur told his parents that he had difficulty in even thinking before doing anything and Bilius laughed and said it was a typical thing for a Gryffindor. At least Arthur thinks Bilius laughed.

The second time Harry went to the Burrow, it wasn't too bad. Percy was upset about Crouch but Arthur always was upset about him anyway, and the twins tried to kill Dudley. Overall, Arthur would have rated it a two. Harry seemed to find it all amusing and was so impressed with the tent. Arthur told Harry all about the important people in the ministry and pointed them out to him. Harry didn't seem to take the hint and went off with Ron. Percy just ignored Arthur the whole time in an attempt to impress Crouch. Arthur is slightly proud of Percy and how well he learned Arthur's careful lessons.

Granted, everything ended horribly after a Death Eater raid but Arthur is used to raids ruining everything. Harry had survived even after being separated from his friends and Arthur didn't want to explain to Molly how they all had gotten separated. Molly still figured it out and yelled at Arthur for an hour.

Arthur goes down to the front door and looks outside. It looks just the same with dirt everywhere and a broken wand on the front porch. Arthur checks his pocket for his wand and is very relieved to find the broken wand isn't his. He picks up the broken wand and examines it. He doesn't recognize the wand so it isn't any of his family's. He casts a Lumos and after nearly setting the porch on fire, decides the wand isn't useable.

Moody set the table on fire which caught the Order's attention. Sirius looked up from the map he was examining and asked Mundungus if he knew what was going on. Moody started ranting about how nobody noticed he was replaced by Crouch Jr. and that they should have secret codes so something like this wouldn't happen again. Dumbledore, with a twinkle in his eye, asked Moody how he knew none of them were replaced right now. Dumbledore would have died if it wasn't for Arthur restraining Moody. Nobody bothered to thank Arthur, just telling him to let go of Moody. Moody thanked Arthur and yelled at Dumbledore about how none of this was a joking matter.

Arthur examines the dining room and wonders how they even had food if they didn't have a kitchen. He shouts out for Bilius, his brother, and Bilius shows up. Arthur is surprised at first before remembering they all made illusions of themselves for anyone who wanted a tour of the manor. Bilius just stares at Arthur and Arthur isn't sure what to say. 

"Yes?" Bilius finally says.

"Oh." Arthur looks over at where the table should be. "What happened to the table?"

"You destroyed it." Bilius says matter-of-factly. Arthur blinks. He wasn't expecting that. 

"Well, if I destroyed it, then shouldn't there be some pieces left?" Arthur asks. Bilius shrugs and turns to keep walking.

"Up ahead is the bathroom," Bilius says. "Don't use it. We still need to clean the blood up."

"Sorry about that," Arthur mutters, "but I had to."

"And then here is your bedroom." Bilius stops in front of Arthur's room. He looks at Arthur expectantly.

"Did you want me to do something?" Arthur asks and Bilius sighs. They keep walking until they reach the barking room.

"And here is where you almost died." Bilius says. "We call it the common sense room."

"No, we don't." Arthur protests but Bilius disappears. Arthur decides he won the argument and goes back to the dining room. He looks a bit closer at the floor and comes to the conclusion he banished the table. He isn't sure why he would do that but he's sure it's understandable. He checks his watch and finds it's eleven. Arthur goes back to the front door and looks out at where he left the broken wand. It is still there. 

For the first time in a while, Arthur begins wondering where his family is. He knows they aren't in any of the rooms or outside. From what he can figure, after Harry came in, Arthur ran for it and left everyone to fight for themselves. It doesn't sound like something he would do but it is the only conclusion he has. 

After everyone agreed on the secret codes, Arthur forgot his secret code. He asked Moody if he remembered everyone's secret codes. Moody shouted at him for being so forgetful and Sirius just laughed the whole time. Arthur decided in that moment Sirius deserved to be punched again. Just when he is about to punch Sirius, Dumbledore told everyone Harry had been attacked by Dementors. Molly punched Arthur for not telling her and everyone laughed. 

Arthur sits down on the floor and leans against the wall. He hasn't regained any memories of the gap between Harry coming in and him waking up in the manor. Arthur wonders where he woke up. Then he thinks it might be possible he has a concussion. He tries to remember the symptoms of a concussion but gives up. He just decides to go through the basic things he should know. 

His wife is Molly Prewett. His children are Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny. Ron's best friends are Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Ginny's best friend is Luna Lovegood. Fred and George's best friend is Lee Jordan. Percy's best friend is possibly Oliver Wood, Percy doesn't tell him things like that. Charlie's best friend was a dragon and Bill's best friend was Kirley Duke.

Arthur decides he passes and does not have a concussion. He knows all the important things about his kids so he knows everything. Arthur doesn't remember who they agreed were the godparents for each kid but then he remembers he's alive so it doesn't matter.

He recovered in St. Mungo's after being attacked by a snake. He hates St. Mungo's and he's convinced St. Mungo's hates him too. They let Molly visit after all and anyone who knows her knows Molly does not have any bedside manners at all. After being shouted at for an hour, Molly finally left and Arthur tried to start up a conversation with the other patient in the room. The healers came in and took the other patient out after finding he was dead. Arthur felt relieved it wasn't his fault the conversation went poorly.

Arthur looks a bit closely at his reflection in the bathroom. He doesn't remember walking over to the bathroom but he's sure he had at some point. 

"You know, your face isn't going to look any better the longer you look at it." Bilius comments and Arthur nearly breaks the mirror. After a brief period of yelling, Arthur finally steps out of the bathroom and Bilius fixes the mirror.

"I hear when you break a mirror, you get seven years of bad luck." Arthur mentions casually and Bilius ignores him.

"Did you want to finish the tour?" he asks. Arthur shrugs and they go to the barking room.

"It's the barking room." Arthur says before Bilius can explain what the room is. Bilius rolls his eyes and motions for Arthur to go on. "We illegally bred dogs in there." 

"And it's such a nice thing to mention on a tour. We wouldn't get arrested or anything." Bilius glares at Arthur. "Don't you remember anything Mum said?"

"She said to think before anything." Arthur says with confidence. Bilius sighs. 

"I guess that's close enough." They move on, walking down the hall. Arthur knows they are heading towards the area that burnt down. 

"You know that area's gone, right?" Arthur asks.

"This is news to me." Bilius runs up ahead and turns a corner. Arthur isn't sure if Bilius was being serious or not. He turns the corner and ends up flailing around, trying to get out of the spider webs.

"Do you remember the prophecy?" Cador asks and Arthur stops suddenly. 

"The prophecy about Harry?"

"No, the prophecy about you." Cador looks upset and Arthur is a bit confused. 

"About-"

"Yes, the prophecy about Harry."

"Oh. Vaguely." Arthur shrugs. "I was listening through a wall. Walls aren't known for their ability to help you hear better." He eyes his third brother and decides Cador is too stupid to help him out with the spiders.

"One shall survive and the other will not, basically?" Cador asks, waving his wand. The spiderwebs disappear and Arthur feels a bit bad for underestimating Cador.

"Basically." Arthur echoes. He remembers Harry getting everyone together and telling them the prophecy, explaining he thought he already defeated it when he was a baby. "Why are you asking?"

"No reason." Cador shrugs and starts on his way. Arthur hurries to catch up. "Now up ahead is the kitchen." Arthur looks at the dirt and nods, remembering how the kitchen looked. He looks up and is surprised to find they are outside.

"When did we-"

"Half the manor burnt down. The roof isn't going to stay up with no walls." Cador says irritably. 

"But we just came from-"

"The kitchen and everything beyond it is gone."

"Then why are we even having this tour?" Arthur asks, stopping mid-step. Cador turns to look at him.

"Because there's nothing else to do."

Moody told Arthur the Order were considering officially kicking him out and Arthur looked over at the closed curtains of the werewolf patient. He explained patiently he was attacked by a snake and did not care about if he was in or out of the Order. Moody ignored him and told him that Molly threatened to leave the Order if Arthur was kicked out. Arthur snorted and said Molly didn't make any difference to the Order and Sirius would be all too happy to be rid of her. After a smack to the head, Arthur corrected himself, saying Dumbledore didn't really care if Molly left or not. He gave up after the fourth slap.

Arthur examines Bilius's bedroom carefully, drawing lines in the dirt where he feels the walls used to be. Cador stands behind him, sighing every minute or so. Arthur isn't sure what Cador is trying to do but he is sure it is helpful somehow. Cador sighs a bit louder and Arthur ignores him.

"Can't you get a hint?" Cador snaps finally. Arthur is even more confused. Cador just groans and grabs Arthur's arm. They go on their way, walking over to a tree.

"This is a tree," Arthur says.

"The tree of enlightenment," Cador says, Arthur thinks, jokingly.

"Wasn't this where Dad watched the house burn down?" Arthur asks and Cador nods. "Hmm, seems close enough to smell burning flesh." If illusions could hit, Arthur was sure Cador would have.

Harry entrusted Arthur with holding the map while they tried to figure out where the next Horcrux was. Arthur knew it was an important job and was surprised he was even allowed to hold the map. Percy peered over his shoulder and asked Harry if they had checked Hogwarts yet. Ginny shouted that Riddle loved Hogwarts more than anything and so he would have hidden something there. Everybody hushed her and somehow Arthur ended up on his knees. Molly shouted at him for dropping the map into the pond and Percy just patted Arthur on the shoulder. Harry looked upset and Arthur told him he was sorry. Harry just shook his head.

"Art, you all right?" Bilius asks. Arthur doesn't answer. He just keeps staring at the mirror in the bathroom. "Art?"

"Come on, answer." Cador sounds annoyed. "Don't be so vain."

"I'm looking at the mirror, not my reflection," Arthur corrects.

"Why are you looking at the mirror?"

"I'm sure he's trying to prove a point," Bilius tells Cador.

"I think he's getting lost," his father says, appearing behind the two brothers. Arthur doesn't jump.

"We're just supposed to give tours," Bilius says to his father, "not support people through their time of crisis."

"I might be an illusion, but I'm still a dad."

"Art, are you all right?" Cador asks this time. "Why are we looking at the mirror?"

"The mirror's different," Arthur explains as if it was obvious. Bilius looks at the mirror.

"How?"

"Well, the reflection's different."

"You took a shower, didn't you?" his father eyes the blood on the floor. "Of course you'd look different."

"No, I think it's cursed."

"Oh, not this again," Bilius says exasperatedly.

"Didn't you think the manor was cursed for a while there?" Cador asks gently.

"Yes." Arthur turns to look at Cador. "Point?"

"You were wrong," his father says.

"The barking room," Bilius cuts in.

"Yes, the dogs were bred to fight but you were-"

"Convinced they were gentle!" Cador finishes for his father.

"I never thought they were gentle." Arthur scowls.

"Why did you go in then?" Bilius says. "It's common sense not to!"

"It was one of the stupidest things you had done." his father adds.

It was ten when Harry came in shouting about Death Eaters. It was ten-thirty when Arthur woke up in the Weasley Manor. It isn't a pleasant sight, seeing yourself covered in blood. It was past midnight when Fabian and Gideon left and one when they were found dead. A lot can happen in thirty minutes, or more accurately, five minutes.

Arthur didn't know how to break the news to Molly and Molly hid away in the living room. Gideon didn't get a funeral and Fabian was buried alone. Frank nearly threw up on Arthur when they found Gideon and Moody set the table on fire. 

Arthur hit a tall Death Eater with a spell and pushes Percy through the Floo. Fred and George are long gone and have nearly killed Dudley. He got hit with a curse and everyone laughed.

Arthur blinks, turning to face his father. "Well, I can't help being stupid." He pushes his way between Cador and Bilius. He goes into the hall and doesn't check to see if the three are following him. He heads for his bedroom.

Fabian would have wanted his best friend right next to him and at the funeral. James shook his head, and so did Harry, and Arthur is used to disappointing people. Arthur grabbed Harry and they both ran. Harry barely managed to not get hit by a spell and Arthur can't stop bleeding but they both ran. They found Fabian tied up, dangling from a tree but nearly threw up at the sight of Gideon. Harry shouted at Arthur about Seamus and Arthur told him he was sorry. They both laughed about Molly not having any bedside manners.

Arthur pulls out his old Potions textbook and opens to the first page. _Abandon all hope_ , it reads and Arthur wants to tell the book that it's not the worst thing he has faced in his life. He turns to the second page which detailed a potion but had a note at the top. _Don't be so depressing, Art._

He somehow ended up on his knees and his father told him to be smarter next time but he can't stop the dogs from attacking him. Molly shouted at him for an hour and Percy got Bill to open the door. Ron was so proud of his family and Ginny woke up screaming about Tom Riddle. Everybody hushed her.

Arthur feels like the answer should be obvious and turns to face his family.

"So are you in a coma?" Bilius guesses. 

"No, no, are you actually Gideon?" Cador jumps in. 

"Are you still thinking?" his father asks. The brothers stare at him. "I mean, like you went into your mind room and planned what to do but you're still planning." 

"No, are you actually daydreaming?" Bilius ignores his father. 

"Oh, no, did you lose your memory and they were going to come back to get you after putting Molly in St. Mungo's?" Cador suggests. They stare at him. "You know, like you offered to stay at the place so it wouldn't close up while they brought Molly to St. Mungo's, and you forgot about that because you have a concussion." 

The first time Harry went to the Burrow, Arthur almost died there. Percy ignored him in an attempt to impress Crouch and Molly shouted for an hour. Moody snorted and told Arthur not to exaggerate and the sight of Gideon was far worse. Arthur listened from behind the wall as Harry came in shouting about Death Eaters.

He explained to Harry that he messes everything up and Harry looked at him concernedly, and when Molly punched Arthur and everyone laughed, Lily looked at him the same way. James shook his head and so did Harry and Arthur gave up after the fourth slap.

"Don't be so depressing, Art?" his father repeats. "How are we supposed to figure anything out from that?"

Cador gasps. "Oh! Are you dead?"

"No, I don't think so." Arthur looks to his father. "Do I look dead?"

"No," Bilius answers. "Just tell us already."

"I will." Arthur pulls out his wand. "I'll be right back and I'll tell you."

"What?" Cador looks ready to kill Arthur. Arthur smiles at the three and then turns around with a crack.

He appears at the headquarters and he really hopes he's right. He reaches out and opens the door in front of him. Dumbledore turns and looks surprised. No, Arthur notices, more disappointed than surprised. He smiles politely at Dumbledore and steps into the hall. He opens the door in the hallway.

Everyone turns to look at who came in and it is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. This isn't typical of the Order. Dumbledore comes up from behind Arthur and Arthur can practically feel his huge smile.

The silence is broken by Harry. "Mr. Weasley!" Soon the room is filled with cries of 'Dad!', 'Arthur!', and 'Mr. Weasley!'. It is clear everyone is surprised to find him alive.

"How did you find him?" Percy exclaims, slightly muffled due to his face being buried into Arthur's shoulder.

"Arthur was hit in the head, he's a bit dazed," Dumbledore says, explaining nothing. Arthur is somehow on the other side of the room now, holding a sobbing Harry. Percy hasn't let go yet.

"I thought you were dead," Harry manages. He looks up at Arthur. "Dumbledore told us you were-" He can't finish his sentence and returns to sobbing into Arthur's other shoulder.

Arthur knows Dumbledore is a smart man and if Dumbledore tells everyone he's dead, then they will accept his word. But if he left Arthur for dead, then half the Order would turn against him. Arthur's eyes meet Dumbledore's and sees his usual twinkle gone.


End file.
